Attachment for x-ray tables



April 5 1927.

F. H. WAPPL ER ET AL ATTACHMENT FOR X-RAY TABLES Filed Aug.' 31. 1922 s shuts-sheet 1 mm NN 0 w Q Q am N f'kEDER/C/f 6 677401? C KOENI 72 233 11114! Grimm; 7

I 1,6235 7' Apr 5 1927. F. H. WAPPLER E AL 6 ATTACHMENT FOR X RAY TABLES Filed. Aug. 51, 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 awuentoz A ril 5 1927. 1523567 P F. H. WAPPLER ETAL ATTACH EN FOR X-RAY TABLES Filed Aug. :51. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet s Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT QFFICE.

FREDERICK I-I. warriors, on ELMHURST, AND ARTHUR o. KOENITZ, on NEW Yam,

N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO WAPPLEB nLEo'ra-rc COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION or I 7 NEW YORK.

ATTACHMENT FOR X-RAY TABLES.

Application filed August 31, 1922. Serial No. 585,467.

Our invention relates to appliances for X-ray tables, our more particular purpose to bring together certain distinct parts and incorporate the same in a unitary structure so arranged that as a whole they may be treated as a combinational attachment for X-ray tables or equivalent devices.

More particularly stated, we seek to incorporate ..an X-ray tube holder, shutter mechanism for limiting and screening the X-rays, and a support for holding a fluorescent screen, so that all of these parts are as a unit movable relatively to the X-ray table, and yet so that each of the parts is accessible for purposes of inspection, removal, adjustment, etc. Reference is made to drawings forming apart of this specification, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several fig- Figure 1 is an end elevation be an end table provided'with my device, certain parts beingshown in section.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary end elevation Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing the shutter mechanism and a portion of the means for controlling the same.

- Figure 4 shows a portion of the adjusting mechanism of the plate holder, and is a section on the line 4-4: of Figure 5, looking in a direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an inverted plan or bottom view of the mechanism shown in Figure 3, certain parts being broken away.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-4" of Figure 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 8 is a section on the line'88 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows the accompanying Figure 9 is a detail, and shows in elevation a portion of the tubular shaft used for actuating a pair of the shutters, Figure 10 is a diagram of the shutter mechanism and its immediate connections.

The X-ray table appears at 10, and is of the usual or any preferred construction. It

carries a fixed or tiltable' flat top 11, adapted for support-ing the body of a patient, or

A casing is shown at 14, and carries a number of working parts, as hereinafter described.

Mounted upon the casing 14 and extending upwardly therefrom is a hollow post 15, having preferably as shown a 'frusto-conical form. This post is for the purpose of supporting a number of parts and housing certain mechanism as hereinafter described.

The casing is provided with rollers 16, Hand 18, and these rollers engage apair of cross rails 19 supported upon small trucks 20, these trucks being provided with rollers 21, 22' and 23, which engage the lengthy rails 12 and 13 above mentioned. The casing 14 and the trucks 20 together constitute a carriage which as a whole is movable lengthwise of the rails 12 and 13. The mounting of the rollers 16 and 17 is so arranged as to permit the casing being moved crosswise of the table. The ra-ils12 and 18 are supported by hangers 24, which depend from the upper portion of the table. A tube holder appears at 25, and is used for supporting an X-ray tube 26.

By this arrangement the X-ray tube holder and tube can readily be shifted back and forth in two directions crossing each other. a

For convenience in mounting the post 15, I provide it with a cylindrical portion 27 of reduced diameter, as indicated in Figure 8, this parties 2? being fitted into a clamping collar 28, with which the casing 14 is provided.

The clamping collar 28 is provided with a handle 29, as shown in Figure 1, whereby it may be actuated so as to cause it to grip or release the portion 27 of the post. By this arrangement the post may be removed and replaced relatively to the casing 4. i

The fluorescent screen holder 30 is journaled upon a yoke 31, this yoke being mounted upon and supported by an arm 32. and the arm being journaled upon the post. A sector 33 is supported by the post 15. A thumb lever 34, carried by the arm 32, is used for holding this arm in diii'erent an 'ularpositions relatively to the sector, so as to support the screen holder 30 in different positions.

The screen holder 30 has the form of a shallow box, as may be understood from Figure 2. Qt carries a. glass plate 35, a fluorescent screen 36, a cardboard member 37 and a' facing 38 ot bakelite or other appropriate material of low density. The screen holder 30 is provided with handles 39, and is preferably made of aluminum. As the screen holder is raised or lowered by adjustment of the arm 32, the screen holder 30 may be tilted or brought to a level by adjusting it slightly inrelation to the yoke 31.

A. cord 40, shown more particularly in Figure 2, engages a pulley 31 and may be used for shifting the casing in one direction.

A pair of channel bars 41 are disposed parallel with each other, as indicated in Figures 3 and 7. A channel bar 42 extends across from one of the channel bar's 4i CO the other, so that the three channel bars together form a frame. This frame is supported upon pintles 44 as indicated more particularly in Figure 7. The pair of channel bars 41 serve as a slideway, and mounted within this slideway are a pair of shutters 45 and 46, movable toward and from each other.

Resting crosswise upon the channel bars 41 andsecured thereto are a pair of channel bars 47. A pair of cross bars 48 eachextend from one of the channel bars 47 to the other, so as to form therewith a substantially rectangular frame. Slidably mounted within this frame are a pair of shutters 49 and 50, movable toward and from each other and located in the same plane. Thus the shutters 45 and 46 are crossed by the shutters 49 and 50, as may he understood from Figure 3. The shutters 49 and 50 are movable toward and from each other in a direction coinciding with the length of the table, and the shutters 45 and 46' are similarly movable toward and from each other, but in a direction coinciding With the Width of the table.

For the purpose of operatingthe shutters 49 and 50, I use a pair of hell cranl; levers 51 and mounted upon stub shafts :73 and and connected with the sidcs mentioned by pins 53, as indicated in Figure 3. Pivotally connected with the bell cranl: 51 is an :u-tuatin; rod 57 This rod is by means of a pivot p n 56 connected with another actuating; rod 57. the latter being pivotally connected with the bell cranl; The actuating); rod 57 is by means of a pivot pin connected with an arm 59, car-- ried by a sct collar 60 secured by :1 ct screw (El upon a short sleeve 62. coupled to and practically forming' a cont miatirm of the shaft- 62, as hereinafter more completely described The rocking shaft 62 extends upwardly through the p st 15 and out of the top thereof, and carries a hand wheel $3. This. hand wheel is for the purpose of enabling the operator to rock the shaft 62, thereby (musingthe shutters 49 and .70 to be moved toward and from each other as above described.

Extending through the tubular shalt 6:1. an thus located within the post 15, is another' shaft 64, having the form of a sol d cylindrical rod. The upper end of this shaft extends above the top of the tubular shaft 62, and carries a hand wheel 05. A set screw 66, carried by the hand wheel (33, extends through the wall of the tubular shaft 62, and into an annular groove 67 with which the shaft 64 is provided. The purpose of the screw 66' is to normally prevent axial movements of the shafts 62 and 64 relatively to each other.

The hand wheel 63 is provided with an opening (38 (shown more particnlairly in F igure 5), through which a screw driver may be inserted so as to engage the screw 60, The operator by turning the screw 66 can retract it from the groove (37. and this done the tubular shaft (52 may be moved upwardly in relation to the shaft (34.

Encircling' the tubular shaft 62 is a helical spring 09, shown more particularly in Figure 8. One end of this sprin; is secured to a set collar 70, carried by the tubular shaft 62, and the opposite end is by n'icans ofa ring 71 secured to the inner surface of the post 15; By turning" the tubular shaft 62 the spring 69 may be placed under tcnsion, or it alreadv under tension its ten'ion may be increased, as may be understood from Figure 8.

The lower end of the tubular shaft 32 is provided with a slot 72, as indicated in Figure 9, and the upper end of the short sleeve ('32 is provided with a tongue 73 for fitting into the slot 72. Thus the lower end of the shaft 62 and the upper end of the short sleeve (32 are so formed as to constitute a coupling for holding them together, and when they are thus held together they conlike portion 75, provided with a hole into whichthe shaft 64 is journaled at its lower end. i

Mounted rigidly upon the lower end of the shaft 64 is a double-ended crank arm 76, carrying a collar 77, and a pin 78 extends diametrically through this collar and the shaft 64. The double-ended crank arm 76 is by means of bolts? 9 connected with a pair of actuating rods and 81, connected respectively with the two shutters 45 and 46 above mentioned.

The operation of our device may be readily understood from the foregoing descrip tion.

The working parts being assembled and arranged, and a fluorescent screen and parts immediately associated therewith being placed within the screen holder 30 as above described in'connection with Figure 2, the mechanism is ready for use.

The object to be subjected to the action of the 'X-rays is rested upon the table 11, and the carriage, including the casing 14 and the X-ray tube 26 as above described, is moved into suitable position, so that the screen holder 30 is directly opposite the X-ray tube; and the object to be subjected to the X-rays is therefore between the X-ray tube and the fluorescent screen. The slides 45, 46, 49 and 50 being actuated in the manner above set forth, and the X-ray tube being energized in the manner well known in this art, the required exposure or examination is made, and the fluorescent screen or plate affected accordingly.

While this description is of a table, it is to be understood that our device can be used equally well in connection with a vertical apparatus such as may be used for fluoroscopy or radiography, and which is known in this art generally as the equivalent of a table.

In our claims we use the word table, therefore, in a broad sense, meaning thereby any support for the body or article to be subjected to the action of X-rays, and of which the X-ray table here shown is merely typical. 1 y

We do not limit ourselves to the precise mechanism shown, as variations may be made therein without departing from our invention the scope of which is commensurate with our claims.

We claim v 1. The combination, with an X-ray table,

of a carriage supported by said table and movable relative thereto, said carriage being provided with a casing having an extending portion, an X-ray tube holder supported upon said carriage and movable therewith.

relatively to said X-ray table, shutter mechanism mounted within said casing and movable bodily therewith relatively to said X-ray table, connections extending from said shutter mechanism into the extending portion of said casing, a hollow post mounted upon said extending portion, mechanism mounted within said post and engaging said connections for the purpose of enabling the operator to actuate the connections and thereby operate said shutter mechanism, and a fluorescent screen holder supported by said post and extending out over said table, to enable said fluorescent screen holder to be shifted in position relatively to said table by bodily movements of said carriage.

2. The combination, with an X-ray table and a carriage movable relatively thereto, of an X-ray tube support mounted upon said carriage and movable therewith, shutter mechanism mounted upon said carriage for the purpose of controlling the distribution of X-rays, frame mechanism mounted upon said carriage and extending therefrom, mechanism connected with said shutter mechanism and supported by said frame mechanism for the purpose of enabling the operator to actuate said shutter mechanism, a fluorescent screen holder supported'by said frame mechanism and movable bodily with said carriage relatively to said X-ray table, and mechanism controllable by the operator for adjusting said fluorescent screen holder relatively to said X-ray table.

3. The combination, with an X-ray table and a carriage movable relatively thereto, of an X-ray tube support mounted upon said carriage and movable therewith, shutter mechanism mounted upon said carriage and movable bodily with said carriage, frame mechanism supported by said carriage and extending therefrom, controlling mechanism 7 carried by said frame mechanism and connected with said shutter mechanism for enabling the operator to control said shutter mechanism, supporting members carried by said frame mechanism and extending therefrom into proximity to a portion of said table, and a fluorescent screen holder mounted upon said frame members and supported thereby in proximity to said portion of said table, the fluorescent screen holder being movable bodily with the carriage, relatively tothe said table.

4. The combination, with an X-ray table, of a carriage carried by said table' and movable relatively thereto in a plurality of directions crossing each other, an X-ray tube holder mounted upon said carriage, shutter mechanism mounted upon said carriage, supporting mechanism carried by said carriage and extending partially around said table, and a fluorescent screen holder mounted upon said supporting mechanism and thereby supported in such position that a portion of said X-ray table is between the fluorescent screen and the tube holder.

5. The combination, with an X-ray table and a carriage connected with said table and movable relatively thereto,- of a casing supported by said carriage and provided with an extending portion, a' hollow post mounted upon said extending portion, shutter mechan'ism mounted within said casing, connections secured to said shutter mechanism and extending through said hollow post for enabling the operator to actuate the shutter mechanism, an arm secured upon the outside of said post and thus mounted upon said post, means for locking said arm in different angular positions relatively to said table, and a holder supported upon said arm for the purpose of holding a sensitive member upon which an X-ray image is to be formed.

FREDERICK H. VVAPPLER. ARTHUR G. KOENITZ. 

